Pres. Obama Gets Busy After Inauguration

U.S. President Barak Obama yesterday called in high-ranking national security officials and military leaders, including Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mike Mullen and the top U.S. military commander in the Middle East David Petraeus to discuss national security and the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.

In the afternoon, the president also convened a meeting of economic advisers on stimulus measures.

On Tuesday afternoon, Obama ordered his Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel to send out memorandums to all government agencies and departments to stop implementing regulations drawn up between the presidential election and Obama’s inauguration for review.

The pending regulations installed by the former Bush administration allowing the carrying of weapons at national parks; prohibiting medical facilities from receiving federal funds for discriminating against doctors and nurses who refuse to assist in abortions or dispense contraceptives; and deregulating oil and gas development.

Obama also ordered the suspension of all legal proceedings for terrorist suspects at the U.S. naval facility in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, for 120 days. Experts say this is a prelude to an executive order to close the maligned prison camp.

It is not unusual for the outgoing administration to install “midnight regulations” to implement its policies in the transitional period and for the new administration to halt their implementation right after inauguration.

U.S. federal law requires a 60-day waiting period before a major regulatory change becomes law.

sechepa@donga.com